Jim Hegerle
Encyclopedia
Jim Hegerle, alias Jimmy (born February 17, 1936, died June 26, 2007) was a light heavyweight
professional boxer
from Saint Paul
, Minnesota
.
. His first lost came in only his third professional fight, against Al Alexander, the following March. The loss didn't deter Hegerle, in fact his early career was sprinkled with occasional losses and draws, but he continued to fight frequently, and by April 1956 Hegerle had compiled a record of 19-3-2. In May Hegerle faced his first notable opponent, Jimmy Martinez
, whose record was 69-23-9. Martinez beat him on points, but in a rematch only two weeks later, Hegerle returned the favor. The following month Hegerle faced 7-1-1 Joe Schmolze, who would become his chief rival. The two would fight on June 21 (a TKO win for Hegerle) and on August 22 (a majority decision
for Schmolze, then again on August 14, 1958 (a split decision
win for Schmolze) and one last time on Saint Patrick's Day
of 1959 (a fifth-round TKO win for Hegerle). Of the four meetings, the last two were for the Minnesota light heavyweight championship. Other notable boxers who Hegerle fought included Del Flanagan
, Clarence Cook
, Gene Fullmer
, Neal Rivers, and Nino Benvenuti, all of whom beat Hegerle, and Dick Lane, whom Hegerle defeated. Hegerle retired from professional boxing with a record of 36-18-3 with 20 wins coming by knockout.
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
Professional career
Hegerle made his professional debut against Walter Quinn on June 8, 1954, recording a win by fifth-round knockoutKnockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
. His first lost came in only his third professional fight, against Al Alexander, the following March. The loss didn't deter Hegerle, in fact his early career was sprinkled with occasional losses and draws, but he continued to fight frequently, and by April 1956 Hegerle had compiled a record of 19-3-2. In May Hegerle faced his first notable opponent, Jimmy Martinez
Jimmy Martinez
Jimmy Martinez is a professional wakeboarder, he was born on May 12, 1988 in Madrid, Spain.At the age of 4, he started riding motorcycles with his father, which quickly turned into his biggest passion, as he loved the speed and adrenaline that he felt while riding...
, whose record was 69-23-9. Martinez beat him on points, but in a rematch only two weeks later, Hegerle returned the favor. The following month Hegerle faced 7-1-1 Joe Schmolze, who would become his chief rival. The two would fight on June 21 (a TKO win for Hegerle) and on August 22 (a majority decision
Majority decision
A majority decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking...
for Schmolze, then again on August 14, 1958 (a split decision
Split decision
A split decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which two of the three judges score for the same fighter as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other...
win for Schmolze) and one last time on Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
of 1959 (a fifth-round TKO win for Hegerle). Of the four meetings, the last two were for the Minnesota light heavyweight championship. Other notable boxers who Hegerle fought included Del Flanagan
Del Flanagan
Del Flanagan was a middleweight professional boxer from Minnesota.-Personal life:Flanagan was a native of St Paul, Minnesota. Del Flanagan and his brother Glen were known as the Fighting Flanagan Brothers...
, Clarence Cook
Clarence Cook
Clarence Chatham Cook was a 19th-century American author and art critic.Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Cook graduated from Harvard in 1849 and worked as a teacher. Between 1863 and 1869, Cook wrote a series of articles about American art for The New York Tribune...
, Gene Fullmer
Gene Fullmer
Gene Fullmer is a former American middleweight boxer and world champion.-Professional career:Fullmer began his professional career in 1951 and won his first 29 fights, 19 by knockout...
, Neal Rivers, and Nino Benvenuti, all of whom beat Hegerle, and Dick Lane, whom Hegerle defeated. Hegerle retired from professional boxing with a record of 36-18-3 with 20 wins coming by knockout.